Depending on who you ask, education technology is in the midst of a renaissance or a Wild West period. There are companies and organizations small and large, new and old, those venturing into new territory, those being disrupted by upstarts.

It's become very clear to me that for any edtech tool to work well, you have to shop (or build) with the end users in mind, generally meaning teachers and kids. You have to try out products with those end users in real life to really know what’s working for you and what’s not.

I do not envy the position of all the entrepreneurs and employees at these companies. No doubt they have a tough job helping us customers understand what is possible through edtech. I also believe, though, that the most successful companies will be those that most clearly develop products that solve real, clear, specific problems faced by teachers and kids each day. And at a reasonable price point.

The following table is a brief summary of some of my learnings with educational technology over the last few years directly working in my own Learning Lab with students and supporting other teachers and principals “go blended”.